House Harkonnen is one of the wealthiest and most ruthless of the Great Houses, and the ancient enemies of House Atreides. Based on the industrial world of Giedi Prime, the Harkonnens are defined by their cruelty, political cunning, and willingness to use any means to achieve power. Under Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, the house held the spice fief of Arrakis for eighty years before being forced to relinquish it to the Atreides - a transfer the Baron treats as a temporary setback and an opportunity for a devastating trap. The Harkonnens represent the worst of the Imperium's feudal system: exploitation, sadism, and power exercised without conscience. Their influence extends beyond the first novel through bloodline connections that Herbert reveals as the saga progresses.